Year in which an amendment is considered (and withdrawn) by the Pennsylvania Assembly to exempt all slave-holding officers of the federal government (including Washington, his Cabinet, and the Supreme Court) from the Gradual Abolition Act. This was an attempt to make the state more hospitable to slave-holders in hopes of having Philadelphia become the permanent capital of the United States. The proposal is withdrawn before debate after heated opposition from the Pennsylvania Abolition Society.

1793

Year in which the U.S. Congress passes and Washington signs the Fugitive Slave Act. The U.S. Constitution (Article IV, Section 2) guaranteed the right of a slave-holder to recover a runaway slave. The Fugitive Slave Act establishes the legal mechanism for accomplishing this, makes it a federal crime to assist an escaping slave or interfere with his recapture, and sets severe fines for doing so. The Fugitive Slave Act allows slave-catchers into every U.S. state and territory.

47 to 8

Margin by which the U.S. House of Representatives passes the Fugitive Slave Act. The U.S. Senate also passes the Act, but the vote count is not recorded. Washington makes no known comment on the Act, and signs it into law on February 12, 1793 (probably in his private office in the President's House).

1/5

Fraction of the American population that is of African descent, all of whom are affected by the 1793 Fugitive Slave Act. There is no safe haven for an escaped slave anywhere in the U.S. because of this law, and even free blacks are in danger of being kidnapped and sold into slavery by unscrupulous slave-catchers.

(about 285) . . .Number of enslaved Africans listed in the October 1759 estate inventory of Daniel Parke Custis (Martha Washington's first husband). Custis dies in 1757 without a will, so the widow is granted a dower share — the lifetime use of 1/3 of the estate's assets. Her dower share, along with the rest of her late husband's estate (including the enslaved Africans), is held in trust for their son Jacky (born 1754).

This large-scale quilted art-piece has been in the making for about 2-3 months. I'll have it up and done in just a few more days! It is an evolving - emotional piece of my soul. I laid the word HUMANITY as my last lettered statement.

My choice if wording has been sometimes almost too blunt and painful (but not in comparison to the inhumane rapes and whippings suffered by my enslaved ancestors).. so I've tried for a balance of truth in depicting my 18th century President. Did I mention rich, landowner and planter... off the black backbones of African men and women?

.........In 1790, Philadelphia was named the national capital for a ten-year period while the Federal City (now Washington, D. C.) was under construction. Morris volunteered the house to serve as President Washington's residence.
Many Philadelphians were convinced that once the Federal Government moved from New York to their city, it would never leave. Why build a new capital on the banks of the Potomac when the largest and most cosmopolitan city in America was here? An enormous mansion for the President (about two-thirds the size of the White House) was begun on Ninth Street in Philadelphia, although Washington showed his preference for a Potomac capital by arranging to be away on the day of the groundbreaking. The President quietly worked behind the scenes to bring the permanent capital of the United States to Virginia. He insisted on paying rent for Morris's house, and the initial lease was for a 2-year period. Except for trips and stays in Germantown to avoid yellow fever, Washington occupied the Market Street House from November 1790 to March 1797.
Following a 16-month stay in New York City.

John Adams occupied it from March 1797 to June 1800, then became the first President to occupy The White House. For nearly a decade, the Philadelphia mansion served as the seat of the executive branch of the federal government, housed the public and private offices of the President, and was the site of the official entertaining of the nation. Washington's presidential household included nine enslaved Africans from Mount Vernon. John Adams was never a slaveholder. The intertwined history of freedom and slavery is part of the story of the President's House, and of the United States.

At the Liberty Bell Center's opening in October 2003, Philadelphia's Mayor John F. Street pledged $1.5 million toward making the President's House commemoration happen.

The site of the President's House lies directly across Market Street from the entrance to the Independence Visitor Center. A public bathroom was built on the site in 1954, and stood squarely atop the footprint of the main house until its removal on May 27, 2003. In 2002-03 the Liberty Bell Center was built, partially covering the footprint of the house’s backbuildings. Under the porch of the Liberty Bell's Center, just 5 feet from the main entrance, is the site of the quarters for the stable workers, two or three of whom were enslaved.

Friday, June 25, 2010

I want a different slant on Eleanor Burns UGRR . . . . so I did a quilt read by Randy Akers / professor of visual communications / He prefaced his artist’s statement with a quote: “If you’re tired, keep going, if you’re hungry keep going, if you’re scared, keep going, if you want to taste freedom keep going.” Harriet Tubman (1819-1913) slave, guide and feminist.

He wrote, “The Underground Railroad was a diverse, flexible and interlocking system of activists who helped fugitive African American slaves in the South escape to Canaan (the North and Canada) in the early and mid 1800’s. The Railroad, its “stationmasters,” and “conductors” consisted of many dedicated Abolitionists, Quakers, and former slaves who knew only of their local efforts to aid fugitives and not of the bigger overall operation. It was this country’s first racially integrated civil rights movement and a seedbed for the Feminist movement with women and men taking equal risks and responsibilities. Hundreds of slaves were moved northward each year as an estimated 100,000 slaves escaped to freedom between 1810 and 1850. The Underground Railroad changed not only the lives of the people saved by the successes of its secretive and dangerous efforts, but also the conscience of a nation.

Kunta Kenta (ROOTS series) was asked.... 'What it like to be free - African?"

My first task was to choose fantastic blenders and borders.... really the fabric in itself was on the gold-brown-black-burgandy mix! But my now, I've seen myself start a fabric.... the it's a smashing finish to pull my sale stuff of years ago... and it offsets the quilt blocks like nothing else.

Then I wanted to get bright.... but their selection of bright was rather kiddish or hawaiian... pretty... but leaning more to a traditional European-Caucasian blend of primary blue, yellow, reds. In fact, there is not a selection of ethnic fabric: when I ask for African themes I am usually shown tigers, lion and zebra prints and trees and jungle prints!

Anyway, back to what and how I did finish my shopping adventure: A FOCUS FLORAL FABRIC with deep burgandy, beige-reddish floral patterns. I intend to border the blocks with blended colors and set it off with the same beautiful floral border. Something traditional that I've not done. I don't see this being a personal favorite to keep.... so who's gonna be my lucky lady or man of the hour?

(l) My pastor is having knee surgery and needs a man-quilt. (2) Mama Lubie Dixon is my best friend (3) Sister Gertie Armstrong is on my list along with my Chickasha Baker Lady (4) and of course - Mrs Francis J - the eternal babysitter will one day get a quilt. (5) Two sweaters and a t-shirt need to be done for Heidi's grandfather who passed. (6) My Ohio friend Ms Terri(7) my KK-mae needs a red quilt (8) Low and behold - my 83 yr old mom as a Nursing Ctr resident has befriended a girl who is having a baby girl in August and she's on the baby quilt list: (9) Ashley & Ann - baby girl, (10) Nicholas V Carter - grand nephew has a John Deere on the sewing machine as we write (11) September has the Royal Ambassadors with Dr. K. Kilgore in line for their themed quilt (applique) (12) need to make a couple of the Princess Tiana bags for the Kairos book store sale, (13) AQSC star quilt by Sept 15th, (14) Presidential House Quilt in PA to K. Flamer exhibit (15) our OKC Community Quilt Guild has finished log cabit full size quilt and binding... and (16) is due to start the Underground Railroad Quilt again! (17) a couple of givebacks are needed.... like Ms Vivian @ St John

Is this why I was happy with a $3.00 yd-fabric sale? The cash register first rang up $190.65 and I paid out $66.00 yipppppppppeeeee !

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Friday, June 18, 2010

an African American Fabric blog! although she says she is talkin' to herself.... listen up WORLD !!! Look around at her Etsy, her blog, and I bought her fabric! Truly unique. THe kind of fabric that I have not idea when and why and where I'll use it.... I just know it will be perfect.. and in my possession when the right time comes to me. That's how my Heavenly - Creative God works on my behalf.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

My newest girlfriend is so eager to learn.... So here is her choice.... before she moves into her PH'd studies next year! And Me -- the teacher --- learning first hand about her newest gadget -- the ruler gripper!!

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

A recent reading by Dee Parmer Woodtor noted that genealogy is about a time, a place and perspective and a firm resolve to learn. This embodies the reason why I quilt and cherish my grandparents quilts and hand-me-down household items... like the washboard and big-ol'black boiling pot.

Who remembers a hot water bottle??? There's a red one stuff back in the linen closet. I won't throw it away.... What - why.... well the dictionary says...A hot water bottle is a container filled with hot water and sealed with a stopper, used to provide warmth, typically whilst in bed, but also for the application of heat to a specific part of the body." hmmmmmm

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

I wouldn't do justice without giving credit to supportive quilt author Kyra E. Hicks. I guess she's been on the scene of many years.... and had certainly set an inspirational stage for persons like myself. Equally engaging is her book "Martha Ann's Quilt for Queen Victoria." I spent days learning about Liberia and its history - past and present.

Sq #4Seems as if I'm looking back at past quiltin adventures with my friends... as well as cleaning out the duplicates, and re-arranging my workdesk computer files: Thus I run across Annette's 2006 quilt photographs.

Sq #3A group of probably 4 ladies shared a quilt pattern..... and I must have been taking care of my mother or other job responsibilities. They are retired, meeting on Mondays an Fridays for several hours, so I stop by on my lunch hour to take pictures and to be inspired!

Sq #2What I love about African Afmerican color combinations.... is that the unthinkable on the usual color wheel.... becomes really cute. Annette always shops, buys and will quilt with some orange (this with purple).

Sq #1

As a new quilter back then, we know never to stifle creativity and individual likes!

There were weekly talks about the animals, the meaning of the circus, and the whales and on and on and on.....We learned the historical facts.....Harriet Powers was born enslaved on October 29, 1837 in Clarke County, Georgia and reportedly began quilting a pictorial masterpiece at the age of forty-nine. Though she had sewn many other quilts in her lifetime---- this quilt was to be a diary of her spiritual life. In it -- she would combine local folktales such as a cold snap which struck Athens in February of 1895 along with Biblical truths to produce a fifteen-squared quilt.

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Not everything you create will be a masterpiece, but you get out there and you try, and sometimes it really happens. The other times you're just stretching your soul.-Maya AlgelouArt speaks of beauty, of sorrow, of what will survive our passing. The best in us listens and is changed.-Lorna Crozier